Sheet gauging apparatus



June 24, 1958 J. E. socKE 2,840,373

SHEET GAUGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1956 5 Sheets-Shejet 1 N NN N N m+I-NX@ tg Q lil r\ Igi kx\ uw' IEI m N W m f iI;+" Y. w @i Q sa *Q .Ima@ mi. I i

:1 I l\ 1' --l II Li I I FQ I N I nvm/Tok JOHN E. SOCKE BY M/.L ,Lamm

ATTORNEYS June 24, 1958 J. E. socKE 2,840,373

GAUGING APPARATUS f ATTORNEYS June 24, 1958 J. E. SOCKE SHEET GAUGINGAPPARATUS JOHN E. SOCKE BY M /fml LN/@Www ATTORNEYS June 24, 1958 .1. E.sQcKE SHEET GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 23, 1956INVENTOR.

JOHN E. SOCKE BY aww/? @femm ATTORNEYS Mmm S1 June-24, 1958 J. E. socKE2,840,373

SHEET GAUGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 23', 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l @ff l@@7 INVENTOR.

4 Jol-m E. socKE BY M //mx famo/ www ATTORNEYS United States Patent-OSHEET GAUGING APPARATUS JohnvE. Socke, Pelham Manor, N. Y., assignor toAmerican Can Company, New York, N. Y.,.a corporation of New JerseyApplication April 23, 1956, Serial No. 580,047

13 Claims. (.Cl. 271-48) The present invention relates to a sheetgauging apparatus for machines in which sheet material is required to belocated in an accurate predetermined position for treatment and hasparticular reference to a side gauge unit for locating a side edge of asheet previously squaredagainst a cooperating edge.

The invention is particularly adapted to the registering r accuratepositioning of sheets of material, for example, metallic sheets such astin plate, black iron and the like for passage through sheet treatingmachines, such as lithographing machines, printing presses, slitters,scroll shears, and others for an operation upon the sheets. In suchmachines the sheets are located before treatment, usually by iirstsquaring them up along their leading or trailing edgesV by two pointsquaring-up gauges and then shifting the sheets laterally along thesegauges toand against a side gauge. The side gauging usually is effectedat a point Well beyond the leading and trailing edges, often near themiddle of the sheet, to compensate for greatly out of square side edges.

An object of the instant invention is theA provision of a gaugingapparatus in which the sheet is readily shifted into accurate positionrelative to a side edge against a side gauge without buckling the sheetand without undue force against the gauge which would otherwise distortthe sheet.

Another object is to accurately effect the registration of the side edgeof the sheet without interfering with a continuous advancement of thesheet through the apparatus.

Another object is toeiect accurate registrationvof a irqice Figs. 7 to"11 inclusive are schematic plan views illustrating the various stages ofgauging a sheet, and

Figs. 12 to 16 inclusive are schematic elevational views correspondingrespectively to Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention thedrawings illustrate a side gauging unit A (Figs. 1 and 2) fitted to aconventional sheet slitting machine in which substantially rectangularsheets B are slit or cut into a plurality of narrow strips for use inmaking can or container bodies or other sheet metal parts. The cuttingof the sheets B into strips is effected byfeeding the sheets into thebite of spaced pairs of side edge of a sheet without disturbing -apreviously Y elfected gauging of a cooperating edge of the sheet.

Another object is to provide gauging devices which securely hold andpositivelyy shift the sheet into registration-with a gauge point withoutotherwise disturbing the sheetV or interfering with its advancementalong a predetermined path of travel. v

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inventionv will be apparentas it is better understood'from the following description, which, takenin connection with theaccompanying drawings, discloses-a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is atop planview of a sheet gauging apparatus embodying theinstant invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken substantially along the brokenline 2-2 in Fig. l;-

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line3 3 in Fig. l., with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view takenV substantially along the broken line 44l in Fig. 3, with parts broken away; p

Fig. 5 is a sectionalV detail taken substantially along the line S-S inFig. 4, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating principal parts of theapparatus with electrical and pneumatic devices which operate them; Y i

cooperating upper and lower conventional rotary cutters 21, 22 mountedon aA pair of transverse, parallel cutter shaftsV 23, 24. which arerotatedk in unison in any suitable manner. The shafts 23, 24 arejournaled in bearings formed in a frame 25 which constitutes the mainframe of the apparatus.

The sheets Bas received. from the mill, often have their edgesout-of-square. Hence in order to insure cutting full width strips from.the sheets, the sheets usually are squared-up or located relative totheir leading edge C or trailing edge D and one longitudinal or sideedge E, prior to slitting. ln the instant apparatus, the trail'- ing orfeeding edge D of a sheet B is first aligned in parallelism with thecutter shafts 23, 24 by a pair of squaring-up elements 27 (Figs. l., 2,8 and 13) and whilel this sheet edge D is retained in this position thesheet is gripped by gripper elements 28, 29 (Figs. 9 and 14) in the sidegauging unit A and is shifted laterally, without disturbing thealignment of the trailing edge, to engage the side or longitudinal edgeE of the sheet against a sheet registering gauge 31 which is unyieldingduring the side gauging operation as shownin Figs. 10 and 15. Thislocates they sheet laterally in a predetermined positionrelative to theslitting cutters 21, 22 so that asrthe sheet. thereafter is passedbetween` the cutters, its outer out-ofsquare edges are trimmed off toproduce edges square with, the trailing edge and simultaneously thesheet between its squared edges is cut into strips.

This gaugingv of the sheet is effected while the sheet is advancingtoward the cutters 21, 22, the side gauging taking place at apredetermined distance from the trailing edge D of the vsheet as shownin Figs. l and 10 and immediately yprior to the leading edge- C of thesheet entering into the `bite of the cutters as shown in Fig. l. Assoonas the sheet- B is fully gauged, i. e. located in its predeterminedposition, the gripper elements 28, 29 release the sheet as shownl inFig. 16 and the side gauge 31 moves away from the gauged side edge E asshown in Figs. ll and 16 so as to befree lfrom interference with thisedge as the sheet advances into the cutters 21, 22. When the trailingedge DV of the advancing sheet B during slitting is fully past the sidegauge 31, this gauge returns to its original gauging position for arepeat gauging operation upon; the next incomingl sheet B as shown inFigs. 7 and l2. j

A sheet B to tbe gauged and slit, enters the apparatus in a horizontalposition supported on a plurality of spaced and parallel support rails35iV ('Figs. 1 and 2) and continuing rails 36 which together extendlongitudinally of the apparatus rfor substantially its full length. These rails are supported on the main frame 25. In this horizontalposition theA sheet B is advanced between a pair of spaced and parallelguide rails 38, 39 on the frame 25,V by a central endlessv chain`conveyor 41 having feed `dogs 42 Y located adjacent the entrance end ofthe apparatus (at "veyor operates inagroove 46formed in onefofthevsupport rails `35. The idler sprocket 44v is carried on aj shortshaft 47 jourirlaledin'` a pair ofspaced bearing brackets.

48 attached to the ,main frame 25. The driving sprocket 45 is mounted`on adriving shafty49 whchextends across the frame 25 and at its ends isjourualed in `suitable bearings 51` in the frame. ,The drivingrshaft 49preferably is connectedby an endless chain 53 (Fig.. 1) to the lower.cutter shaft 24, `through sprocketsv4, `55 mounted on the driving `shaft49 andthe cutter shaft 24 respectively.V

The squaring-up .elements 27 preferably are permanently ma'gnetizedgaugewblocks. which ,are carried` on a pair of spaced and parallel`endless chains 58 (Figs. 1 andl) disposed adjacent and` inparallelisrnwith and located one on each side of the conveyor 41.` Thesechains 58 operate over -driving sprockets 59 (Fig. 1) mounted on androtating with the driving shaft 49 and over idler Sprockets 61 mountedon an idler shaft 62 located between the conveyor sprocket shafts 47, 49and havingits endsjournaled in suitable bearings in the main frame 25.The upper runs of the chains 58 operate in grooves-64 formed in two ofthe sheet support rails 35.

The squaring-up chains 58 are `actuated in the conveyor 41 but ataslightly increased speed. operation, the conveyor 41, through one of itsfeed dogs 42 advances a sheet B in` unaligned relation between its guiderails `38,39 into a positioniover the squaring-up chains 58 so that asthe sheet continues in its advancetime with While the roller gauge 31 ismaintained in its temporarily fixed gauging position, the gripperelements 28, 29 operate to shift the advancing sheet B toward the rollergauge 31 to locate the sheet side edge E against the gauge. The gripperelements 28, 29 preferably are rollers which are disposed adjacentopposite faces of the advancing sheet B adjacent but inwardly of thesheet side edge E and are i" freely rotatable in the direction of thetravel of the sheet B through frictional engagement with the sheet.There VareptwoV gripper rollers 29 located one on each side of fperipheries flush with this path of travel so as tofrictionment, thesquaring-up elements 27 onA the chains 58 rotate n up over` thesprockets 61 and into position slightly behind the trailing edge D ofAthegsheet. g

Since: the squaringup elements 27 travel in the same direction as thetravel of the sheet and at a slightly faster speed thanthe feed dog 42on the conveyor 41, they catch up with the sheet and engage againstitstrailing edge D and advance theslicett'away fromtthe feed dog 42. The

`squaring-up elements 27 ,are aligned parallelrwithV the 'by locatingthis edge lin aso-called squared-up` position.

This squaring-np of thel trailing edge` of the sheet.' is effectedquickly while the sheet is advanced by theelen ments 27 through; acomparatively short distance. n

With thetrailingledge D of the sheet thus squared-up, the squaring-upelements 27 continue to advance the sheet toward the slitting cutters21, 22 and in so doing advances the sheet past the side gauging unit Adisposed at one side of` the apparatus adjacent the path of ytravel ofthe side edge E of thesheet as shown in Fig.

The gauging unit A contains the sheet 'registering side gauge 3l 'andthe gripper elements 28, 29 hereinbefcre mentioned. i The registeringgauge `31 preferably is a grooved roller (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) disposedwith its axis in a vertical position adjacent to but spaced outwardlyfrom the path of travel of the side edge E ofthe advancing sheet B. Thisroller gauge 31 is mounted on a vertical stud 66 secured in a horizontalbracket 67 attached to a piston rod 6B t (see Figs. 5 and 6) of apiston69v disposed in a uid pressure cylinder 70 mounted on a bracket71secured tothe main frame 25. A collart72 on the piston rod 68 engagesagainst the end of the cylinder 701 and ally engage and partiallysupport the sheet adjacent its side edge E as the sheet movesL past thegauging unit A.

These lower gripper rollers 29 preferably are free wheeling ballbearings for easy rotation and are mounted on shoulderedsleeves 75('Fig. '3.) and held in .place by locknuts 76 threadedly engaged on thesleeves. The sleeves 75 are slidably mounted on horizontal stationaryshafts 77 disposed at right angles to the path ofV travel of the sheet Band carried in and projecting from bosses 78 formed in a housing 79mounted on the gauge bracket 71. The sleeves 75 are yieldably heldinposition against stop collars 81 on the inner projecting ends of theshafts, by compression springs82 which surround the shafts 77 and areinterposed between the sleeves 75 and collars 83V carried on the shaftsadjacent their support `bearings 78 asshown in Fig. 4.

The gripper rollers 28 which cooperate with the lower gripper rollers 29are located above the path of travel of the advancing sheet B in spacedrelation thereto to permit of free passage of the sheet between theupper and lower rollers. There are two upper gripper rollers 28 and theyare located above and in vertical alignment with the lower gripperrollers 29 and like the rollers 29 are freely rotatable in the directionof travel of the sheet B. The upper gripper rollers 28 are mounted forfree rotation on pins 85 (Figs. 3 and 4) carried in the outer free endsof a pair of oppositely extended vgripper-arms 86 which. are pivotallymounted side-by-side on a common stationary horizontally disposed pivotshaft 87 pro-v l jecting inwardly from and secured in a boss 88` formedin the housing 79. The pivot shaft 87 extends at right angles to thepath of travel of the sheet B and is located directly` above the rollergauge 31 in verticalalignment therewith.

The gripper arms 8'6 are slidable along their pivotgshaft 87 to shiftthe sheet'Bas will be hereinafter explained. For this-purpose they arms86 are confined -between a pair of spaced side `bearings 91 of aclevis'shaped `bracket 92 (Fig. 3) which extends across the arms. yThislbracket 92 is connected by` a link 93 to a piston rod 94 (.see Fig.6V)y of ay piston 95 in a huid pressure cylinder 96 mounted on thehousing 79 as shown in Fig. 3. A stop collar`97 on the piston rod 94inside the cylinder 96 engages against the end of the cylinder andnormally isheld in this position by fluid pressure, preferablycompressed air introduced into the cylinder to retain the upper gripperrollersV 28 in vertical alignment with the lower gripper rollers 29.

- The upper' gripper rollers `-28 are retained normally in spacedrelation to the path of travel of a sheet B advancis heldno'rmally inthis position by uid pressure, pref- 1 erably compressed`airintroducedinto the cylinder to hold v y `the roller gauge 31` in apredetermined gauging position (Figs. `4 `and 5) mwhich are secured inthe bracketjfand ing below them, by a pair of tension springs'101 (Fig.4) which are stretched between the gripper arms 86 `and the clevisshaped bracket 92. The springs 101 hold the arms up in a` predeterminedpositionwhich is adjustable through travel limiting set screws 102threadedly engaged in lugs` 103` (see also Fig. 3) which project` upfromthe arms 86. Thesc'rews 102 engage against a web 104 which dependsfrnrthe.v clevis shaped bracket 92.

. In operation, as hereinbefore mentioned, the-shifting of the sheetside edge E into engagement with the roller side gauge 31 is effected bya gripping and lateral movement of the gripper rollers 28, 29. As thefirst stage of this andere' movement, the upper gripper rollers 28 arepressed down against the advancing sheet B to grip or clamp the movingsheet against the lower gripper rollers 29.V The Vrollers rotate freelyduring this gripping action so as to prevent retarding/the advancementof the sheet. This gripping action takes place at a predetermined timein the travel of the sheet, preferably at a predetermined distance fromthe Vtrailing edge D of the sheet. A distance of about l inches fromthis trailingedge has been found to be satisfactory forsheetsapproximately 36 to 48 inches long. The timing of this grippingaction is effected in time with-the advancement ofthe sheet ascontrolledby the advancement of the squaring-up elements 27.

The-gripping action of the upper gripper rollers 23 preferably isbrought aboutby fluid-pressure on the gripper arms 86. For this purposeeach arm 86 is connected to fluid pressure, preferably compressed airactuated bellows 106 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) which are interposed between thearms and the clevis shaped bracket 92. The two bellows 106 are connectedby air pipes 107 to a junction box 108 which in turn is connected to apipe 109. The pipe 109 leads to and is connected to a sl-ide valvehousing 111 (see Fig. 6) containing a slide valve 112 having a groove113 which communicates normally with the endl ofthe pipe 109 and with avent 114 in the valve housing. Through this communication with the vent114 the interiors of the bellows 106 normally are open to atmosphericpressure and thereby have no effect on the gripper arms 86. In thisnormal position of the slide valve 112 it also cuts offcommunicationwith an inlet pipe 116 which connects the interior of thevalve housing r111 with a main supply pipe 1'17 which leads from anysuitable source of compressed air. A compression spring 11S interposedbetween the valve 112 and the adjacent end of the housing 111 yieldablyretains the valve in its normal position.

Actuation of the slide valve 112y is effected in time with theadvancement of the sheet B through cam actuated electric devices. Forthis purpose the valve 112 is provided with a stem 121 which extendsthrough an end of the housing 11.1 and serves asv a movable core for anormally deenergized electric solenoid 122. One side of the solenoid 122is connected by a `wire 124 to a source of electric current such as agenerator 125. The opposite side of the solenoid is connected by a wire126 to a normally open electric switch 127 having a wire 128 connectedto the generator 125. v

The normally open switch 127 is closed for a predetermined length oftime during each cycle of operation of the apparatus,'by an edge cam`131 carried on and rotating with the sprocket shaft 49 (see also Figs. 3and 4). When this switch 127 is closed, electric currentfrom thegenerator 125 flows alongk the circuit and energizes the solenoid 122and thus `draws the core 121l into it. This shifts the slide valve 112toward the rightl as viewed in Fig. 6. In its new position, the slidevalve `112 uncovers the inlet pipe 116 and closes the vent 114, with theresult that compressed air from the supply pipe 117.1iows into the valvehousing 111, pipe 109., junction vbox 108, pipes 107 and bellows 106 to.expand the bellows and thereby force the gripper arms 86 downwardly toclamp the upper gripper rollers 28 against the moving sheet B and thelower gripper rollers 29 below it, as shown schematically in Fig, 14.

While'the edge cam 131.ho1ds.the switch 127 closed to retain the uppergripper rollers 28 in clamped position against the sheet, the rollers 2Sare moved laterally to shift the side edge E of the clamped,longitudinally moving sheet into engagement with` the side gauge 31.This is effected by a shifting ofthe piston 95 in cylinder 96 and theclevis shaped bracket 92, toward the left as viewedV in Fig. 6. For thispurpose the cylinder 96 near its ends is connected by pipes 133, 134which lead to and are'connected with a valve housing 135V containing aslide valve 136 which directs compressed air into one or the other ofthepipes 133, 134 from an inlet pipe 138 secured in the housing andconnected to the main supply pipe 117. In its normal position as `shownin Fig.y 6, the slide valve 136 is disposed in the end of the housing atthe left,andis yieldably held there by a compression spring140.interposed between the opposite end of the valve and the adjacent endofthe housing. In this position, the valve 136, by way of a channel 14,1in the valve, connects the pipe 133 with a vent 142 in the housing tovent the cylinder 96 in the space at the right of the piston 95. In thisposition of the slide valve 136, the pipe 134 at the left of the piston95 is in communication with the inlet pipe 13S in the valve housing toadmit air to the cylinder at the left of piston 95.

Shifting of the piston toward the left as. viewed in Fig. 6 is effectedby a shifting of the slide valve 136 in a manner similar to the shiftingof the slide valve 112. For this purpose the slide valve 136 is formedwith a stem which projects out of the valve housing 135v and serves as amovable core for a normally deenergized electric solenoid 146 connectedby a wire 147 to the wire 124 and by a wire 148 to a normally openelectric switch 149 which in turn is connected by a wire 151 to the wire128. The switch 149 is closedk at the proper time in the cycle ofoperation by an edge-cam 153 (see also Figs. 3 and 4) on the sprocketshaft 49.

The edge cam 153 is set in relation to the edge cam 131 so that the cam153 closes the switch 149 While the cam 131 is holding its switch 127closed. The closing of the switch 149 energizes the solenoid 146.y andlthus draws its core 145 into it, with the result that the slide valve136 is shifted toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 6). This cuts olf theair-supply from pipe 134 and vents this pipe and the portion of thecylinder 96 connected thereto, through the vent port 142 in thehousing135. This action also permits air under pressure from the inlet pipe 138to flow through the pipe 133 into the cylinder 96 ahead of the piston 95to push the piston outwardly toward the left as viewed in Fig. 6.k Thismovement of the piston ,95 carries with it the clevisfshaped bracket 92,the gripper arms 86, the gripper rollers 28 and the sheet B clampedagainst the lower gripper rollers 29. In this movement, the pressure ofthe upper gripper rollers 28 against the lower gripper rollers 29cau-ses the sleeves 75 on which the lower rollers; are mounted, to slideoutwardlyon their shafts 77 against the resistance Of the springs 82,and thereby permits the lower rollersto shift laterally with the upperrollers.

This lateral shiftingtof the sheet B, while it continues to advancetoward the cutters 22, 23, continues until the sheet side edge E engagesagainst the side gauge roller 31 as shown schematicaly in Figs. l0 andl5. Since the gripping rollers 28, 29 are spaced longitudinally of thenormal sheet travel, the rollers while in sheet clamping position shiftthe sheet laterally along the squaring-up gauges 27 without leavingthese gauges or turning the sheet out of square in any respect. Thedistance the sheet. is shifted laterally depends upon how much its sideedge E is `out of square. A slight excessr travel of the gripper rollers28, 29 is providedrto insure positive engagement of the sheet edgeagainst the side gauge 31.

Anyrexcess travel laterally causes a lateral slipping of the rollers 28,29 on the sheet while its side edge is against the gauge 31.

The side gauging of the advancing sheet B is timed to take placeimmediately prior to the leading edge C of the sheet entering into thebite of the cutters 22, 23 as shown in Figs. l and 2. At this time whenthe side edge E engages against the side gauge roller 31, the uppergripper rollersV 28 are unclamped from the lower rollers 29 and bothsets of rollers move inwardly to their original positions and also theside gauge roller 31 movesroutwardly to clear the sheet edge E as shownin Figs. 1l and 16, so that the side gauged sheet in its properlylocatedposition is free and is advanced the short j Release andreturnofupper and lower gripper rollers 28, 29Yis veffected by thesimultaneousopening of the two electric switches 127,149 throughsimultaneous ac-V tion of their edge cams'131,` 153. The opening ofthese switches 127, 149 deenergizes their connecting solenoids 122, V146and thereby permits the springs 118, 140 in the valve housings 111, 135to return their slide valves 112, 136 to their original positions Vasshown in Fig. 6. Returnof the `slide valve 112cutsloff the compressedair from thebellows 106 and vents the bellows togcause the gripperrollers 28 to lift away from the gauged sheet B. The return of the slidevalve 136 reverses the flow of the compressed air through the pipes 133,134 and thereby returns the piston`95 inthe cylinder 96 and the bracket92 and parts connected therewith, to their original position, as .showninliig.` .6g The lifting `of the upper gripper rollers 28 slightlyprecedes the lateral shifting of the piston 95 teclear thelrollers abovethe sheet before they begin to move laterally inward so as to leave thesheet undisturbed `in its gauged position.

p The outward lateral movement `of the side gauge` roller 31 is effectedby an outward movement (toward the left in Fig. 6)l of the piston` 697inits cylinder 70. This movementis effected by a reversal of the flow ofcompressed arwhich normally holds the piston in its position shown inFig. 6. For this :purpose the cylinder 70 adjacent its ends isconnectedby pipes 155,156 to a valve housing 157containing a slide valve158 normally held at one end of the housing (at the left as shown inFig. `6) by a compression spring 159 interposed between the opposite endof the valve and the adjacent end ofthe housing.

' Reversal `of this flow` of compressed airjto shift' the piston 69 andgauge roller 31 is effected by a shifting toward the `rightin `Fig. 6,of the slide valve 158. This is brought about by a valve stem 165 whichprojects out ofthe housing 157 and serves` as a movable core for anormally deenergized electric solenoid 1661 connected by a wire 167 tothe generator wire 124 and bya wire 168' which is connected toa normallyopen electric switch 169 connected in turn by a wire 171 to thegenerator wire `128.` The switch 169 (see also Figs. 3 and 4) is closedat `the proper tirneby anedge cam 173` carried on the sprocket shaft -49along 131, 153;, j l

The closing `of the switch 169 by rotation of the cam 173, energizes thesolenoid 166 and thus draws. the slide valve `158 over to' the right (asviewed in Fig. 6)

`with the` `other `two edge cams g conveyor 41 and the squaring-upconveyors'SS. This completes thelcycle of operation of the apparatus.

'It is thought that theinvention and many of its attendantadvantages`willrbe understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made `in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope Y ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form`hereinbefore described Ybeing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. In a sheet gauging apparatus, the combination of a sheet registeringgauge for locating an edge of the sheet in a predetermined gaugedposition, a plurality of pairs of cooperating gripper elements disposedadjacent opposing faces of said sheet with said pairs of elementsarranged in spaced relation along said faces of the sheet, means foreEecting relative movement of said elements towardsV one another forgripping said sheet between them, and means for shifting said grippingelements bodily toward said registering gauge to move the edge of saidgripped sheet into engagement with said gauge, said pairs of gripperelements also preventing said sheet from turning in its plane duringmovement.

.2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for effectingrelative movement between said gripper elements is a fluid pressurebellows.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for shifting`said gripping elements bodily is a uid pressure means.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said cooperating gripperelementis provided with yieldable pressure means for returning saidelement upon release after a sheet gauging operation.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein there is provided twogripper elements operable against each face of said sheet and whereinsaid gripper elements adjacent one face of said sheet are carried on apair of arms extending in opposed directions along said sheet andpivotally mounted in a carriage mounted for recipro- V cation toward andaway from said gauge and `wherein and thus cuts oi the supply pipe 117from `the pipe 156 t and connects it with thepipe `155 while ventingvthepipe 156 "through the vent port 162. This reverses the` ow of air andthusshifts the piston 69 andthe gauge roller 31 toward the left(Fig.`l6). Theca'm`173 holds the switch 169 closed untilthe trailingedge D `of the gauged i `air from the supply-piper117landcauses thepiston 69 to be pushed `back into. its original position `as shown inFig. l6, to reset the'sidegauge roller 31 in its original,

position` for a repeatlgaugingoperation on the'neXt or subsequent'sheetadvanced into position by the feed-in said means for shifting saidgripper elements is connected to said carriage and wherein said meansfor effecting relative movement of said gripper elements toward eachother adjacent opposed faces of said sheet are connected to said armsfor actuating said arms and the gripper elements carried thereon inunison.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said registering gauge isvmovable after each gauging operation and wherein` means are providedfor moving said gauge for shiftingrsaid 'gauge away from said locatedsheet edge after a gauging operation and for returning said gauge for arepeat gauging operation.

7. The combination defined in claim l wherein there is providedadvancing means for advancing the sheet into position adjacentsaid'registering gauge and wherein there is provided means for actuatingsaid means for effecting' relative movement between said gripperelements and said means for shifting said elements bodily, in time withsaid 'advancing means to effect gauging of said positioned sheet.

8. Thev combination defined in claim 7 wherein said advancing meansadvances the sheet continuously along a path of travel adjacent saidregistering gauge and wherein said means for ghifting said gripperelements ,bodily isoperable while said sheet is advancing to effectlgauging of the sheet without `interrupting its advancement. Q 9.1 Thecombination defined in claim 8 wherein said registering gauge is movableafter each gauging operation and wherein means are provided for movingsaid gauge away from said gauged sheet edge to provide forcontinuedfadvancem'ent of the gauged sheet without interference withsaid gauge.

10. The combination defined in claim 7 wherein said 9 advancing means isprovided with squaring-up elements engageable with a rear edge of thesheet for squaring the sheet along said rear edge and for propellingsaid squared sheet into position adjacent said registering gauge forgauging of a side edge of said sheet.

11. The combination defined in claim 10 wherein said advancing means isa sheet feeding conveyor and said squaring-up elements are carried onsaid conveyor.

l2. The combination dened in claim 7 wherein said pairs of gripperelements are provided with rollers for engagement with opposite sides ofthe advancing sheet, said rollers being mounted for free rotation by theadvancing sheet in the direction of its advancement.

13. The combination defined in claim 12 wherein said means for shiftingsaid pairs of gripper elements bodily toward said gauge is connecteddirectly to one of said elements and the other of s 4id elements ismounted for tree sliding movement and is moved through grippingengagement with said rst mentioned gripper element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

